Gothic classics, part 3

And here we come to the years 1837-1900, the most beloved and well known eras of Gothic literature:

“Carmilla” is the 1872 Gothic vampire novella by Irish author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, a leading writer of ghost tales and horror fiction of the Victorian era. His haunting and surprisingly modern “Carmilla” was one of the first works in the vampire fiction genre and was written decades before the publication of Bram Stroker’s “Dracula” in 1897. Le Fanu’s story has been widely influential and is notable for its depiction of homosexual desire between the female vampire and her beautiful, young victims. “Carmilla” is told from the perspective of a case study by Dr. Hesselius, a medical doctor who investigates occult phenomenon. The central character is Laura, a teenager living alone with her retired father in lonely castle in the forests of Austria. Laura longs for a friend her own age and, not coincidentally, a carriage accident brings the lovely and seemingly young Carmilla to Laura’s home. Before long Laura’s health declines and she is haunted by nightmares as she becomes the latest victim of the vampire Carmilla. To save her, Laura’s father must battle the cunning and evil vampire for her life and soul. Frightening, entertaining, and hauntingly romantic, Le Fanu’s Gothic adventure remains a classic of vampire literature.

First published in 1886, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” is Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of man’s inner struggle between good and evil. The story revolves around the investigation by John Utterson, a lawyer, concerning the association between Dr. Henry Jekyll and the morally corrupt Edward Hyde, to whom Jekyll has recently willed his estate. Through the use of a magic serum Jekyll is transformed into Hyde which he does so in order to indulge in the darker side of his character. After a time Jekyll finds that he is involuntarily turning into Hyde and must use the serum, which is running low, to turn back. Stevenson from early on in his career was interested in the impact of personality on human behavior and how he could incorporate it into his stories. In “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” we have a classic examination of the duality that exists within man, which is ultimately a tale of the tragic consequences that can occur when the darker elements of one’s character are let out.

Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” is the novel that introduced the fictional creature known as the vampire to millions. It is considered by many as the single most important work in the gothic vampire horror genre. “Dracula,” while not the first appearance of the vampire in literature, is certainly the work that is most readily identified with the vampire genre and has spawned countless imitations and references. The novel is set sometime in the late 19th century and begins by being told from the perspective of Jonathan Harker, a young English legal practitioner who is traveling to the castle of Count Dracula, in the Carpathian Mountains on the border of Transylvania, to perform some legal services for the Count. Harker upon meeting Count Dracula finds him a strange and eerie man, one with a dark secret. Dracula needs the help of Harker to execute his plan to relocate to England in order to find new blood and spread the curse of the undead. The only thing standing in his way is a small group of people led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing, who know what he secretly is and have vowed to stop him.

Oscar Wilde’s only full-length novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” was first published in 1890 and is the classic tale of the moral decline of its title character, Dorian Gray. While Dorian has his portrait painted by Basil Hallward he is lectured to by Lord Henry Wotton, who espouses a hedonistic world view. Dorian is drawn to Wotton’s belief that beauty and sensuality are the only things in life worth pursuing and wishes that he would stay young while his portrait changes instead. In the years that follow Dorian pursues a life of vice and debauchery, committing unspeakable acts along the way. With the passage of time, Dorian’s wish comes true, as his age and withering moral character are reflected in his portrait instead of himself. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is arguably one of Wilde’s most popular works, which caused quite a scandal in Victorian England when it was first published, for its glorification of decadency. A chilling tale, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is at once both an intricate character study and a sharp criticism of the improprieties of the Victorian age.